KEN HUNTS FOOD: Five27 @ Chulia Court, Chulia Street, Georgetown, Penang.

Saturday, February 22, 2014

Five27 @ Chulia Court, Chulia Street, Georgetown, Penang.

Previously located at Straits Quay, Five27 has relocated to Chulia Court along the bustling Chulia Street and has reopened its door on the 26th of January 2014. Five27 continues to tantalize Penangites' taste buds with its revamped menu, maintaining some of the "regulars' favorites" as well as new and carefully designed dishes. Stepping into the cafe is like stepping into a time portal, its retro design with a touch of Nyonya style is a reminiscent of the olden days. The fully air-conditioned restaurant cum bar is a perfect place for any of your friends or family occasions, there is an al-freso dining area too if you would prefer a more outdoorsy ambiance. Ample parking lots available behind the restaurant, from Chulia Street, turn into Carnavon Street and turn right into a small alley, you should be able to see the signboard indicating the car park from there (Rm 3 per car per entrance but fully redeemable for every Rm 30 spent in Five27).

Traipse yourself up to the second floor and you will be greeted by a bar, offering extensive range of alcohols; and there will be live band performances on every Friday and Saturday evenings too. Their Red/ White Sangria (Rm 18/ glass, Rm 45/ half-liter, Rm 75 per liter) is a must-try item.

Many Thanks to Five27 for extending the invitation.

Ignite your taste buds with this ethereal starter- Japanese Tataki Tuna Salad (Rm 26). Pan Seared fresh Sashimi-Grade Tuna rolled with Sesame Seeds and served with Mixed Salad Leaves, French Beans, Pearl Shallots and Boiled Egg, finished with a Japanese style Ponzu dressing. The perfectly cooked Tuna was hard outside but tender inside, while the Sesame Seeds added a whole new different layer of texture to the fish. The Tuna was good on its own but it was even better with the refreshing Ponzu Sauce which gave the fish a boost with its nice acidic tilt. Recommended.

Having some decent nibbles while having a chat with family and friends is indeed a wonderful moment. Try on their Loaded Nachos (Rm 24), the Tex-Mex starter was also served along with Beef Chili, Guacamole, Salsa and Sour Cream. The stretchy globules of Melted Cheese will definitely make cheese lovers weak in the knees, while the acerbic tinge of Olives reduces the greasiness of the dish. The Beef Chili and Sour Cream may not seem to impress me, I was convinced with the buttery Guacamole, which is a perfect complement to go with this dish. Definitely a contenting dish to share with your friends and family.

Mushroom Soup (Rm 12) served with Garlic Bread was not my favorite dish of the evening. The soup was creamy until the extent that it masks the uniquely comforting aroma of Mushrooms; the Garlic Bread was a let down, it was dry and lackluster. It might be a little surfeit for one to finish the soup entirely.

Indonesian Oxtail Soup (Rm 25) did not seem to resonate among the guests. The soup was served with White Rice, Chili Sambal, Achar and Crackers. The Oxtail was perfectly braised till fork tender but the soup was rather bland to the taste, as though it was insufficiently seasoned. Fortunately, the lip-numbingly hot Chili Sambal was able to give an extra kick to the dish.

Hitting the top notch was this dish- Beef Meatballs (Rm 39) served with Creamed Potato, Brown Sauce, Cranberry & Raspberry Jam and Pickled Cucumber. The Meatballs were well-executed, tender and juicy, beautifully complemented by the Brown Sauce. The smooth and buttery tender Mashed was equally lovely, the addition of Cranberries was an ingenious creation by the chef, it gives an extra sweet note to the savory dish. A worth-trying dish.

Lamb will never go out of fashion. Slow Cooked Lamb (Rm 48) served with Mojo Rojo sauce, Creamed Potato and Artichokes, Citrus Apple Salad. The Braised Lamb was extremely tender, little effort was necessary to cut through the meat while the citrusy Salad added sourish tinge to the dish.

Fish lovers can go for their Pan Seared Salmon (Rm 33) served with Baby Potatoes and Balsamic Caramelized Onions. The Honey & Dill Mustard Sauce was rather insignificant in proportion to the fish in which I could barely taste it, as though I was having the fish without any sauce. The fish, however, was perfectly cooked nevertheless.

Their lip-smacking Spaghetti Aglio Olio (Rm 25) is definitely a safe bet. Al-dentely cooked and deftly seasoned Spaghetti with generous amount of fresh Seafood added, the Chili Flakes gave the dish an extra boost, hitting the palate with a mild Chili and Peppery kick. My only gripe was I could not agree to the addition of Lemon Juice, I would prefer them to serve the Lemon slice aside so that those who prefer the sourish tinge could add it on themselves, otherwise, they could just leave it as it is.

Sweet ending starts with Chocolate Blondie (Rm 15), a sweet and crumbly dessert bar. The addition of Walnuts has added a bit of crunch to the dessert but it was slightly too sweet to my palate. It will be, however, perfect to go with a cup of Coffee.

Another sweet treat was a rather playful and quirky dessert- Chocolate Bomb (Rm 15)- Milk Chocolate and Chocolate Truffles with Balsamic, topped with fresh Strawberries. The addition of Balsamic was to add an extra acidic tinge to the dessert but the sweetness from the Chocolate was overwhelming. Nonetheless, it might be perfectly fine for Chocolate lovers.

A different variation from Tiramisu, go for their Coffee Gula Melaka Cafe (Rm 9.50), a rather strong of Coffee flavor with a discernible flavor and sweetness from the Gula Melaka. It was sweet but not overly so. Quite an interesting cake to try on.

Their Carrot & Pineapple Cake (Rm 9.50) seems nice but nothing overly exciting. The addition of Pineapple reduces the Carroty flavor which I was left underwhelmed. I would personally prefer the layer of Cream Cheese to be slightly thicker so that the ratio of Cream Cheese and the Cake could be in greater proportion.